Canada confirms bovine tuberculosis in Manitoba

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada has confirmed a rare case of bovine tuberculosis in a five-year-old beef cow from a herd in Manitoba, the country’s food safety agency said on Thursday.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said no part of the infected cow entered the human or animal food chain and that there is no public health risk associated with the case.

“Canada’s status for international trade of animals and animal products is not affected by this finding,” it said in a statement.

CFIA, which is working with the operator of the affected farm, said all the animals that could have been exposed to the disease will be destroyed to prevent an outbreak.

Canada’s cattle herd is considered to be largely free of bovine tuberculosis, a chronic debilitating disease that causes breathing difficulties and ultimately death. The last finding in Manitoba was in March 2004.

The disease can spread to humans, with similar symptoms in the human form, but such cases are rare.